(CNN) – Court papers show the FBI has contacted Chris Christie's former campaign manager as part of a federal probe of a traffic scandal that has upended the New Jersey governor's administration.

Bill Stepien, in arguing why he cannot comply with a subpoena issued by a state legislative committee also investigating the scandal, said federal agents have visited his home and questioned people who know him, according to court papers. FULL POST

Washington (CNN) - Senior Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid, cautioned Monday that any U.S. move toward sanctions against Russia over Ukraine should be carried out in accordance with European allies.

Separately, Republican Ron Johnson, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he's urging fellow lawmakers to speak with "one voice" as they discuss action over the developing situation in Crimea.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for March 3, 2014 | 5 p.m.
– n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

CRISIS IN UKRAINE …OBAMA THREATENS TO ‘ISOLATE’ RUSSIA:
President Barack Obama said Monday that the U.S. was examining a series of steps to “isolate Russia” if Moscow continued its current trajectory into Ukraine:

“I spent the weekend talking to leaders across Europe and I think the world is largely united in recognizing that the steps Russia has taken are a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, Ukraine’s territorial integrity, that they’re a violation of international law. They’re a violation of previous agreements Russia has made with respect to how it treats and respects its neighbors. And as a consequence, we got strong statements from NATO and from the G7 condemning the actions that Russia’s taken … What cannot be done is for Russia with impunity to put its soldiers on ground and violate basic principles that are recognized around the world

(CNN) – An Arkansas congressional candidate who served in the Army for 29 years says voters know him simply as "Colonel." So when he wasn't able to run using his military title on the ballot, he decided to legally change his name.

Conrad Reynolds is now Colonel Conrad Reynolds, and his name will be listed that way on the ballot for the 2nd Congressional District GOP primary in May.FULL POST

(CNN) – Holding the 2016 Republican National Convention in a location that could help the party politically-such as in a swing state–may be a "factor" in the decision-making process, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus told reporters on Monday.

Washington (CNN) - Sen. John McCain says the escalating crisis in Ukraine is the result of what he calls a "feckless foreign policy" by the White House.

Speaking Monday at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual conference in the nation's capital, the Republican senator from Arizona was critical of the man he lost to in the 2008 presidential election.FULL POST

(CNN) – A new poll in the crucial battleground state of Virginia indicates voters in the commonwealth have a more favorable view of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie than other potential GOP presidential candidates.

And if Christie were to overcome the traffic scandal that's dogging his administration, he would be considered the best potential match against Hillary Clinton in Virginia, according to the Christopher Newport University survey released Monday.FULL POST

(CNN) - Even though Sen. Cory Booker has been in office for less than five months, a majority of New Jersey voters questioned in a new poll say the freshman Democratic lawmaker deserves a full six year term in the Senate.

According to a Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press survey released Monday, 55% of Garden State voters say the Democratic senator deserves to be re-elected this November, with one-third saying it's time to have someone else on Capitol Hill.